The writer is a former COAS of Pakistan The coup makers attempted to stem the tide of change taking place in Turkey, under the democratic order, but failed, unlike the earlier four attempts made in 1960, 1971, 1980 and 1997, which succeeded. The attempted coup took place because the military considers itself the ‘guarantor of the secular political order’ and opposes President Erdogan and his party leading the political Islamic order, which also is not…
Posts published in “Day: July 25, 2016”
The writer is a former ambassador to the US, India and China and head of UN missions in Iraq and Sudan. THE failed military coup in Turkey has led to a state of emergency. The coup attempt against an elected government involved murder and treason. The whole episode represents the modernisation dilemma of Muslim society. Kemalist secularism may have been carried to the point of almost abandoning Turkey’s Muslim identity. This inevitably touched a raw…
ISLAMABAD: Turkey’s envoy in Pakistan on Friday criticised the ‘double standards’ of Western nations, calling the initial reaction of some leading democracies to the failed July 16 coup attempt in his country ‘unfortunate and disgraceful’. “Some big countries supported only stability [in Turkey], not democracy… initially, they did not react,” Ambassador S Babür Girgin told reporters at a briefing at the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad. “It is disgraceful for those countries to call themselves democracies,”…
WELL, there he is, back at work. Reading a report he’d rather not read. Chairing a meeting he’d rather not chair. Talking about stuff he’d rather not talk about. An agenda long derailed. Nawaz is still interested in foreign policy, for reasons political and strategic. Politically because he knows the world needs to know he’s not some anti-US/anti-West loon — the shelf life of civilians tainted as such being pretty short. Strategically because, well, he…
The Taliban militants group has rejected hand in a deadly attack targeting the demonstration in Kabul city which left nearly 200 people dead or wounded. The Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the group has no link with the explosions in Kabul city, calling it a grim move to create divisions among the people. Mujahid further added that the group condemns any move that lead to creation of divisions, including ethnic and religious divisions among…
A high-ranking Afghan security official has confirmed that Daesh was behind the deadly Kabul attack that claimed over 60 lives and wounded more than 200 on Saturday. According to the official the attack was organized by a Daesh member by the name of Abu Ali who is a resident of Achin district in Nangarhar. Daesh also claimed responsibility on social media for the attack. The message posted in English and in Arabic said “two Daesh…
LANDIKOTAL: Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi has asked Pakistan and Afghanistan not to impose a ban on the FATA tribesmen from freely crossing the Torkham border. Taj Muhammad Afridi was talking to reporters on Saturday and requested the Afghan and Pakistani governments to keep watch on the international conspiracies which could affect bilateral relations among the two Muslim nations. The Senator said in the name of “border management”, tribals on both sides of the border were…
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan-based terror groups such as LeT, the Taliban, JeM and al-Qaida target India’s interests and goals in Afghanistan and pursue other objectives like creating sanctuaries and safe havens in tribal areas between Kabul and Islamabad, Afghan envoy to the UN has said. “In Afghanistan, regional terrorist groups have cooperated with the Taliban based on their common goals and mutual interests. These groups include Lashkar-e-Taiba, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Jaish-e-Mohammad, al-Qaida and Lashkar-e-Islam, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Islamic Movement…
Communist Party of China (CPC) organizations at various levels have been told to strengthen “Party building” in elementary and middle schools and integrate their work into all aspects of education and school operations. A circular jointly released Friday by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Education said that Party organizations should effectively participate in school decision-making and supervision at schools. “Party work’s key mission in these schools is to…
KARACHI: The future of private schools set up by the PakTurk International Schools and Colleges network plunged into uncertainty a day after Turkey’s ambassador called on the Pakistan government to close down all the institutions backed by the Fethullah Gulen-inspired Hizmet movement. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s closeness with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s brotherly relations with Turkey put pressure on the federal government to make a decision that does not upset its strong ally.…
ISLAMABAD – Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman has visited Air Base and aviation industrial complex in Moscow and monitored performance of modern fighter jet and other important military hardware. During his visit to the base, CAS was briefed about the role and tasks of Russian Air Force and was shown various aircraft on its inventory, PAF’s press release issued here Saturday stated. The PAF chief appreciated professionalism and operational capabilities…